Breathing exercise · 3 · 5 · 7
3-5-7 breathing for a hospital waiting room, if you are fitting this around other people
Rounds of 3 · 5 · 7, with the counting done for you.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
Take 3 counts to breathe in, hold for 5, and 7 to breathe out. Keep the out-breath unhurried. It is designed to fit around other people’s schedules. Simple things first: contact, weight, temperature.
Why it can help
Because it is one-directional, there is less to remember than with a hold. That makes it easier to keep going.
The pattern, in seconds
| Phase | Length | Starts at |
|---|---|---|
| Inhale | 3s | 0s |
| Hold | 5s | 3s |
| Exhale | 7s | 8s |
One round is 15 seconds. At the default 10 rounds this practice runs 150 seconds — about 2 minutes — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- at the start of a study session, to set the tone
- on a train or a bus, with your bag on your lap
- when the weather has been grey for a week
Tips
- Do the last round slightly smaller than the others. It makes stopping easier.
- Practising when you are calm makes it available when you are not.
- If holding for the full count feels tight, drop every number by one. The shape matters more than the size.
Please note
If holding your breath makes you dizzy or uncomfortable, skip the holds entirely and breathe slowly and evenly instead. Never push through lightheadedness. If you are pregnant, or manage a heart, blood pressure or lung condition, check with a doctor before doing breath holds.